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Monday, October 21, 2013

NYCC 2013 Post-Con Report

We're a week removed from New York Comic Con 2013 and being my first trip to the Big Apple, I must say: ReedPOP put on a great show for everyone. I'm no convention rookie, but even I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. I was caught between trying to cover events, seeing stuff as a fan and just taking in what NYCC had to offer. As I've said before, comic conventions are a sensory overload of awesome. Four days full of comic book, cosplayers, toys, video games and everything else to have the fangirls and fanboys geeked out.

Speaking of the people, oh my, was there a crowd. Reports came in about the attendance rivaling that of San Diego Comic Con. Seeing it all four days, I don't think that's an exaggeration. Having been to both, I do prefer the layout of NYCC as opposed to SDCC. The new RFID chips in the badges seemed to have worked to cut down or cut out completely the counterfeit badge issues they've had in the past. Attendees had to activate their badges and "tap in" and "tap out" upon entering and exiting the convention grounds.

As for programming, it may sound cliche, but there was something for everyone. Take it from me, NYCC is a monster. I was there the entire show and only missed a few hours, but I still don't think I saw everything there was to see. There were panels on comic books, toys, movies, television shows, anime, etc.

The biggest highlight for me was the premier of Rebuild of Evangelion 3.33: You Can (Not) Redo. I've been waiting a few years for it and it did not disappoint. Plus I walked away with an Evangelion poster.

The comic books are the best part of a convention to me, so the guest list is a big draw. ReedPOP didn't skimp on the talent. Among the creators in attendance were: Stan Lee, Jim Steranko, Marjorie Lee, Clayton Henry, Adam Kubert, Andy Kubert, Amy Reeder, John Romita Jr., and Sara Pichelli. That's just a small portion of the people at the show as guests or in artist alley.

Artist Alley was traffic heavy as expected. There were people arranging commissions, getting books signed by their favorite creators and just interacting with talented individuals. I hope the crowds meant everyone with a table really got to interact with fans and of course had a profitable weekend.

Most of the major publishers, including Marvel, Image and BOOM!, had a presence on the show floor. DC Comics was notably absent, which is odd considering this is Superman's 75th anniversary. There were huge displays showing off some of the great books from each company. Also, the publishers had many books available for purchase. This did not include Marvel. In my experience Marvel and DC have never done this.

Overall, it was a fun show. As big as SDCC is, the focus on comic books has been somewhat lost. For the big comic book convention experience, New York Comic Con is the show for you. I think I may add it to my schedule for next year. I expect big things in New York come 2014 considering it's the Ghostbusters' 30th Anniversary.